To celebrate merchant success due to shifts in consumer shopping since lockdown, we spoke with K9 Sport Sack, one of our pet merchants.
K9 Sport Sack makes the original forward-facing dog backpack carrier (a must-have for any dog owner that loves taking their best friend everywhere). Read on to learn how Afterpay helped this small business grow--including spurring a 5% increase in purchases and 7%+ higher order value on K9 Sport Sack’s website.
Business owners Joseph and Jen came up with the idea for the K9 Sport Sack when Joseph was training for a bike race. He hated leaving the couple’s rescue dog, Daisy, behind on long rides. Existing options didn’t work well--and eventually Jen unintentionally made the first K9 Sport Sack prototype by placing Daisy in a normal backpack. Joseph received constant questions about where he’d gotten this carrier--sparking the idea to start a business. The couple manufactured a few hundred carriers and attended a pet show, where they sold out within an hour.
Today, K9 Sport Sack continues to innovate on the dog-on-the-go backpack concept, creating more advanced and larger products to accommodate dogs of all shapes and sizes. Beyond the comfort of the pup, K9 Sport Sack products also need to be comfortable and functional for the owners who wear them--and the company continues to deliver. This has inspired a following of loyal customers, and offering a more flexible way to pay via Afterpay was a logical step in the company’s growth.
Since K9 Sport Sack products come in a range of prices--from $49.95 to $264.95--the company wanted to ensure customers could buy the product they needed without worrying about covering the cost up front. Afterpay has helped solve the problem for K9 Sport Sack, resulting in a higher average order value, increased conversions, new customers, and incremental revenue.
Growing the brand globally has been especially tricky for the couple. Making payments simple for international customers has been helped by Afterpay’s cross-border trade program, which allows international shoppers to purchase with Afterpay, in their local currency.
Overall, Afterpay has helped K9 Sport Sack offer the brand to more customers, who are able to try the product without worrying about the price tag. The company’s top tip for other Afterpay merchants: incorporate BNPL into your business and marketing strategy. Communicating the benefits of Afterpay via marketing and website materials helps inform customers and attract new shoppers.
What’s next for this growing company? K9 Sport Sack just launched the Rover 2, which holds dogs up to 80 pounds and can easily convert into a fully-functioning backpack. This means there’s no excuses not to take your best friend along for the ride with you.
To learn more about how your business can be featured in Afterpay’s Pets vertical, or how to offer Afterpay to your customers, reach out to our sales team by clicking here.
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